5 Engaging Year-End Fundraising Ideas for Your Nonprofit
It’s no secret that year-end giving is critical to nonprofits’ success. Research shows that 30% of annual charitable donations occur in December, and 10% of contributions happen in the last three days of the year!
This end-of-year giving surge is the perfect opportunity for your nonprofit to strengthen its relationships with donors and set itself up to retain their support for another year. To maximize supporter engagement opportunities during this season of generosity, consider supplementing your usual annual giving initiatives with fresh year-end and holiday fundraising ideas.
In this guide, we’ll discuss five of our favorite year-end fundraisers, many of which involve activities your supporters may already participate in during the holiday season. Let’s dive in!
1. Online Shopping Fundraiser
During the holiday season, shopping becomes increasingly popular as people buy everything from decorations to gifts to items that will help them execute their New Year’s resolutions. Consider giving your supporters a way to contribute to your nonprofit and shop more ethically by launching an online shopping fundraiser!
During an online shopping fundraiser, your organization earns a portion of your supporters’ sales totals when they make purchases at participating e-commerce businesses. You can launch this campaign in three simple steps:
- Partner with an online shopping fundraiser platform—they’ll walk you through setting up your campaign and provide the app your supporters will use to automatically contribute to your organization as they shop.
- Promote your fundraiser across all of your nonprofit’s print and digital marketing channels so supporters know how to participate.
- Track your results so you can improve your marketing strategies throughout the holiday season and thank participants for their individual contributions.
Online shopping fundraisers cost nothing to run, and the best programs will provide support throughout the whole process, from handling retailer negotiations to designing marketing materials. Plus, you can leave your fundraiser open after the holiday season ends so participants can continue to support your cause with their purchases all year long!
2. Gift Card Fundraising
Your nonprofit can also tap into holiday gift-giving through gift card fundraising. Similar to an online shopping fundraiser, supporters buy gift cards to popular retailers and restaurants, and a portion of their purchase goes directly to your organization. While the end of the year is an especially good time to launch a gift card fundraiser, this also works as a year-round campaign since supporters will likely need to purchase gifts throughout the year for birthdays, graduations, weddings, and various other occasions.
ShopRaise’s gift card fundraising guide recommends choosing digital gift cards over physical ones for your organization’s fundraiser because supporters can receive them via email within minutes of purchase rather than having to wait for them to come in the mail. Then, they can give the gift card to its intended recipient simply by forwarding the email.
Supporters may also purchase fundraising gift cards for themselves so they can give back to a good cause while eating out or doing their own shopping. If your nonprofit runs a gift card fundraiser and online shopping fundraiser concurrently, a shopper can buy a gift card and then use it to pay for their purchases through your online shopping fundraiser, thereby contributing even more to your mission!
3. Virtual Silent Auction
Put a competitive twist on your supporters’ online holiday shopping with a virtual silent auction! Online auctions take the excitement of a traditional silent auction and make it more convenient for supporters since they can participate from anywhere. They’re also more cost effective for your nonprofit, although you should invest in auction-specific fundraising software to make your event go as smoothly as possible.
In addition to choosing an auction platform, some other key steps for organizing a virtual silent auction include:
- Setting clear goals for supporter participation and revenue generation.
- Securing corporate sponsorships to help offset the event’s upfront costs.
- Procuring a variety of prizes that appeal to your supporters’ interests, from gift baskets to event tickets to vacation packages.
- Marketing your auction early and often to maximize signup opportunities.
Make sure to collect data during your event so you can analyze it to determine whether you achieved your goals, and make informed decisions when planning future auctions.
4. Holiday eCards
If supporters purchase holiday gifts for their friends and family via your nonprofit’s online shopping, gift card, or virtual auction fundraisers, they may want to buy greeting cards to go with them. With a holiday-season charity eCard fundraiser, you can help them do just that!
To launch your eCard fundraiser, follow these basic steps:
- Choose an eCard platform that makes it easy for nonprofits to create and sell their own designs.
- Design a variety of holiday cards featuring your organization’s branding and mission-related imagery where appropriate (for example, an animal shelter might use photos of dogs and cats in holiday-themed costumes surrounded by seasonal decor).
- Sell your designs by embedding the cards into your digital donation page or adding them to your nonprofit’s online store, and raise funds with each purchase!
In addition to fundraising during the holidays, eCardWidget recommends using your nonprofit’s eCard platform to send eye-catching event invitations and thank donors for their year-end gifts. You can also turn this into a year-round fundraiser by designing eCards for various holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions.
5. In-Kind Donation Drive
While many supporters probably want to buy items during the holiday season, some may also want to declutter their homes heading into the new year or simply give back in a tangible way. Your nonprofit can cater to these individuals by hosting an in-kind donation drive.
As you plan your year-end in-kind donation drive, you have a few options. First, determine what kinds of goods to request from supporters, such as supplies for a program you plan to launch in the new year or items to give to community members in need during the holiday season (food, winter clothes, children’s gifts, etc.). Then, decide whether to collect these goods in person by designating drop-off locations around your area or host your fundraiser virtually by creating an online wishlist so supporters can ship items directly to you.
No matter your approach, make sure to establish clear guidelines about the types and conditions of in-kind donations your nonprofit can and can’t accept. For example, you might state that donated food can’t be opened or expired, or that you’ll only take new, unwrapped toys for your holiday gift drive. These rules reduce the risk of receiving unusable or hazardous items and can help you explain to supporters why you may not be able to accept some of their generous gifts.
For all of these year-end fundraisers, prompt, personalized donor appreciation is critical. By showing supporters that your nonprofit recognizes and values their individual contributions, you’ll be more likely to retain them into the new year and beyond. Happy fundraising!
